Window shade



R. BROWN WINDOW SHADE Oct. 6, 1936.

Filed Aug. 19, 1955 INVENTOK Passe-r iBeow v BY a ATTORNEYS i ll| 5Patented Oct. e, 1936 Robert Brown, New York, N'. r.

Application August 19, 1935, Serial No. 36,811

8 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in window shades and has for oneofits objects to provide an improved shade of practical and economicalconstruction wherein the shade is capable of being wound upon a rollerwhen in raised position and in which the shade is provided with aplurality of louvers adapted for adjustment to closed and openpositions.

Another object is to simplify the construction of the shade by theelimination of gearing and tive view of the base of the shade, one ofthe louvers and the operating means therefor.

In order that the shade of the present invention may be wound upon theordinary type of spring roller, such as indicated by the numeral 4, theprincipal elements of the present shade including the base 5 and louvers6 are made of flexible 'material such as the ordinary shade cloth, oilcloth, imitation leather, paper or any other material suitable for thepurpose. Said base 5 is of rectangular formation with one of its endssuitably secured to the roller 4 and its other or free end reenforced bya wooden strip 1 to impart rigidity to said end as in the ordinarycurtain. The center of the flexible base 5 is cut away to provide theenlarged opening d which allows light "and air to pass through thecurtain when the louvers 6 are adjusted to open position.

The several louvers 6 are so mounted upon the inner surface of the base5 that when the same are in closed position, as shown in Figure 2, thelower edge of each louver overlaps an upper edge of the next adjacentone so as to effectively close the opening 8. In order to so arrange thelouvers, each one of them is provided with a pair of hinges 9 disposedon opposite vertical sides of the opening 8 and adapted to receiveportions of a small rod or pintle III which is extended through anopening formed in the upper longitudinal edge of the louver by doublingthe material of the latter as indicated at II. Thus each louver ishingedly connected to the base 5 for swinging movements relative theretoso that the louvers may be adjusted to closing position relative to theopening 8 or raised to different open positions depending upon theamount of ventilation and light desired to pass through said opening.

A simple and eflicient means is provided for adjusting the louvers andmaintaining the same in various open positions. Said means, asshown,consists of two flexible strips l2 of any suitable material each ofwhich has its intermediate portion extended over the roller 4 and passedthrough a guiding eyelet l3 thereon so that the ends of each strip willbe disposed on opposite sides of the base 5 of the curtain. The portionM of each operating strip i2 which extends downwardly from the roller '4on the inner side of the curtain is provided at intervals with the hingeelements l5 each of which is adapted to be connected to the lower edgeof one of the louvers 6. Said lower edge is doubled upon itself asindicated at Hi to form an opening through which a small rod H isextended and said edge is cut away as indicated at, I8 to receive thehinge member I 5 through which said rod I1 is extended. The oppositeportion IQ of each operating strip i2 extends on the outer side of thebase 5 and is unattached thereto. Said portions 19 extend the fullheight of the curtain and may have their lower extremities projectingbelow the strip 1 so that said extremities may be readily grasped andpulled downwardly when it is desired to adjust the louvers to an openposition. When such a pull is exerted upon the operating strips the samewill slide through the guiding eyelets l3 and thus exert an upward pullupon the lower edges of the louvers 6. To releasably secure said louversin an adjusted open position the lower portion I9 of each operatingstrip is provided with a series of vertically aligned openings 20 anyone of which is adapted to receive a hook 2i carried by the reenforcingstrip l at the bottom of the curtain. Should it be desired to adjust thelouvers to their closing position relative to the opening 8, the lowerends of the portions l9 are disconnected from the hooks 2i, whereuponsaid louvers will move downwardly and outwardly, by gravity, until thesame are in their overlapping relation shown in full lines in Figure 2.When raising the entire shade, the louvers are first adjusted to theirclosing positions and the shade is then manipulated to cause the springroller 4 to wind the same thereon, this winding operation being possiblebecause 01' the flexible nature of the base 5 and louvers i whichpermits said elements to be coiled upon the roller.

What is claimed is:

1. In a window shade, a flexible base capable of being wound upon aroller and having an opening therein, a plurality of louvers also offlexible material and windable upon said roller, means to hlngedlyconnect said louvers to said base, means connecting the free edges ofthe louvers together, and a flexible strip connected to said last meansfor moving the louvers relative to said opening.

2. In a window shade, a flexible base capable of being wound upon aroller and having an opening therein, a plurality of louvers carried bysaid base and movable to open and closed positions relative to saidopening, and one or more flexible strips extending along the inner andouter sides or said base and over said roller and connected to saidlouvers so that the same can be moved to open positions when a pull isexerted upon said strips.

3. In a window shade, a flexible base capable of being wound upon aroller and having an opening therein, a plurality of louvers carried bysaid base and movable to open and closed positions relative to saidopening, one or more flexible strips extending along the inner and outersides of said base and over said roller and connected to said louvers sothat the same can be moved to open positions when a pull is exerted uponsaid strips, and cooperating means on said base and strips forreleasably maintaining said louvers in their open positions.

4. In a window shade, a flexible base capable of being wound upon aroller and having an opening therein, a plurality oi. louvers also offlexible material and windable upon said roller,

means to hingedly connect said louvers to said base, one or moreflexible strips extending upwardly along the outer side of said base,over said roller and downwardly along the inner side of said base, meansto hingedly connect the latter portions of said strips to said louversso that a pull upon the first-named portions of said strips will adjustsaid louvers to-open position, and cooperating means on said base andsaid flrstnamed portions of the strips to releasably maintain saidlouvers intheir open positions.

5. In a window shade, a flexible base capable of being wound on a rollerand having an opening therein, a plurality of louvers carried by saidbase and movable to open and closed positions relative to said opening,and means extending over the roller and connected with the louvers formoving the same relative to the opening.

6. In a window shade, a flexible base capable of being wound on a.roller and having an opening therein, a plurality of louvers carried bysaid base and movable to open and closed positions relative to saidopening, and means slidable relative to the base and connected with thelouvers for moving the same relative to the opening.

7. In a window shade, a flexible base capable of being wound upon aroller and having an opening therein, a plurality of louvers carried bysaid base and movable to open and closed positions relative to saidopening, and one or more flexible strips extending along a side of thebase to the roller and connected to said louvers so that the same can bemoved to open positions when a. pull is exerted'upon said strips.

8. In a window shade, a flexible base capable of being wound upon aroller and having an opening therein, a plurality of louvers carried bysaid base and movable toopen and closed positions relative to saidopening, and one or more flexible strips connected with the louvers andextending upwardly therefrom to a point adjacent the roller for movingthe louvers relative to the opening.

ROBERT BROWN.

